


Feathers and Fangs

by uofmdragon



Series: Creature Feature [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 3 Sentence Fiction, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Harpy, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Dragons, Everyone is a mythical creature (except Happy) AU, Gargoyles - Freeform, Harpies, Jorōgumo, M/M, Minotaurs, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Selkies, Vampires, except it exploded
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 05:25:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1141995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uofmdragon/pseuds/uofmdragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint can talk to vampires.  He's great at talking after all.  So after he finds a vampire has been following him, he decides it's time to talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feathers and Fangs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kisleth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kisleth/gifts).



> Written for Kisleth's 3 sentence AU prompts on tumblr that included Vampires, Wings, Whump, and Broken. 
> 
> Beta'd by Allocthon

kisleth

 

Phil was impressed by this harpy that Nick had wanted him to find out about. The harpy seemed to be toying with him, letting him follow one night and staying out until Phil risked burning in the sun.  Phil hadn't been able to find where the harpy nested, and Phil was impressed. 

He'd gotten close a few times, enough to catch sight of the harpy without his wings doing human things. It had been interesting to watch him interact with the humans, letting no sign show that he was superior to them in every way.  The closest he'd gotten was the late night food market. Phil had decided to approach, but had held off when the harpy had suddenly started juggling garlic. Garlic weakened vampires and considering how well the harpy had evaded him, Phil did not want to approach him while in any weakened state.

Then the notes had started appear, little things that let Phil know the harpy was paying as much attention to his tail as Phil was to him.  Finally a set of coordinates for a building in neutral territory and a time and date.  Perhaps the harpy was done playing games.  Phil arrived early and watched the rooftop to ensure no surprises.  He barely caught sight of the winged form landing on the roof and made his way up to the rooftop.

"So, do you sparkle in the sunshine?" the harpy asked in lieu of a greeting with a smirk on his face.

Phil growled, baring his fangs.  ”I thought harpies were supposed to be women and ugly.”

"Well, clearly there are male…" the harpy started, before pausing.  The smirk turning into a large smile. His wings spread, showing off the deep black feathers.  "Did you just call me pretty?"

"No," Phil denied, quickly.  Though his denial only seemed to amuse the harpy.

*

The vampire didn’t blush; Clint briefly wondered if that had to do with the fact that vampires were technically dead.  He'd led this vampire on a merry chase over the last few months, and the vampire hadn't attempted to trap him or approach him.  Clint had become gradually more curious.  He'd managed to lose the vampire a few times and follow him, though he hadn't learned much. 

"You said I wasn’t ugly," Clint sing-songed

"That doesn’t mean I think you’re pretty," the vampire objected.

"Really?" Clint asked, frowning at the vampire.  "That’s a shame. You’re pretty good looking, for a blood sucker."

The vampire paused, studying Clint.  ”Really?”

"Yeah," Clint murmured.  He blinked in surprise as the vampire was suddenly right there.  "Hi, I’m Clint."

"Phil."

"You’re a vampire named Phil?"

"Says the harpy named Clint, because that’s so greek," Phil stated, looking unamused.

"Never said that was the name I was born with," Clint purred. "Just my preferred name."

"Of course it is," Phil said.

"So Phil the vampire, how do you feel about interspecies sex?" Clint asked.  "Also men?"

"I’m this close and I’m not biting you, what do you think?"

"Just wanted to make sure," Clint said, wrapping his wings around Phil.  "After all, assuming makes an ass out of me."

"You’re fine," Phil said, tilting his head.

"Good," Clint said, leaning in to kiss him. He whispered along the way. "You can use your teeth, I don’t mind a little nibble."

*

Phil had decided that what had happened on the roof with Clint was not going to happen again.  He tried not to think of how Clint had looked riding his cock, head arched, wings spread, or how Clint had felt in him. He tried to forget about all of that and focus on his work for Fury and keeping track of the clan's going-ons.  

Still, after a few nights, he slipped away and found himself, out of habit, slipping to Clint's stomping grounds.  Phil wasn't looking for the harpy, he told himself.  He supposed he shouldn't have been too surprised when he rounded a corner to find the harpy himself leaning against the wall.

"Did I upset you?" Clint asked.

"No," Phil said.  "I've… I've been busy."

"Was it just a one night stand?" Clint asked.  

"Did you want it to be?" Phil asked.

Clint shrugged. "I wouldn't say no to seeing you again."

"You don't care that I'm a vampire?" Phil asked.

"You're not as creepy as some of the ones I've seen, which probably should bother me, but I liked it, I liked being with you…"

"You don't know me," Phil replied.

"We could change that?"  Clint offered.

Phil blinked, surprised. "Can I buy you dinner?"

"Do you eat?" Clint asked.

"I could go for a rare steak," Phil replied.

Clint grinned.  "Let's."

*

"Should I be worry if you don't show up?" Phil asked as Clint landed on the roof of what was fast becoming their building.

"Were you?" Clint asked, looking at Phil.  "Worried?"

"Maybe," Phil replied.  "Would you like it if I was?"

"In this case, no," Clint said.  "I had… harpy business."

"Harpy business?" Phil asked.

"You have vampire business," Clint pointed out, because Phil had told him that he wouldn't be able to join him some nights, because of vampire business.

"And I try to tell you beforehand," Phil argued back.  

"So, I'll try to tell you beforehand from now on," Clint offered.  "Try to leave a note if its last minute."

"Thank you," Phil said, leaning in to kiss Clint.

Clint tilted his head to the side slightly, while wrapping his wings around Phil.  "And what about me? I've waited here for you before."

"I'll continue to try to tell you ahead of time, but leaving a note might be a problem for me," Phil replied.

"Fair enough," Clint leaned into the kiss, wrapping his arm around Phil. 

"I think I've gotten used to finding you here," Phil murmured against Clint's lips.

"Sorry," Clint said.  "But I have been spending a lot of time with you lately."

"And absence is supposed to make the heart grow fonder," Phil purred.

Clint moaned, pushing Phil back to where there was space was to strip him bare.  Later, they might go find a place for food, but for now they'd have a night to themselves.

*

The first night after their agreement to leave each other notes that Clint failed to show up caused Phil to be annoyed, since there was no messages saying that Clint had “harpy” business.  Phil had discovered that when Clint said harpy business, he generally meant that he was hanging out with a red-headed jorōgumo. Still, Phil let it slide and slipped away, he could still catch up with his clan, and deal with their mocking of him being set up.

The second night in a row with no message, Phil became concerned, but he assumed something had come up.  Phil waited a little longer, full from the last few nights.  

The third night no one was nearby, except for a music box.  Phil scowled at it, opening it up to see a little ballerina pop up and spin while it tinkled its song.  Phil closed the lid, and stared into the cityscape.  He frowned, filtering out the noise, until he caught that same tune on the wind.  Phil took off, slowly making his way toward the music. It moved, it must have, guiding Phil through the city and to a run down theatre.  He entered, slipping through the decay to find the stage.  The music was coming from there and a light was set up behind the screen, casting the shadow of a ballerina on the screen.

"Where’s Clint?" Phil growled. 

"In the basement," the voice came from behind him.  He twisted to find Clint’s jorōgumo friend standing behind him. "He’s hurt though."

"Take me to him," Phil ordered.  The jorōgumo guided him through her lair.  Phil frowned, because Clint should not be in some basement, even if he was injured.  Clint was a creature of the air, not the earth. 

"Clint," Phil called out when the jorōgumo indicated he should continue on his own.

"Phil?" Clint said. "What are you doing here? Go away!"

"Clint, I’m worried, just let me see you," Phil pleaded.

"I don’t want you to see me like this," Clint said.

"Like what?" Phil said.

"Broken."

"Oh Clint, you’ll never be broken to me," Phil murmured, rounding the corner to find Clint.    
Parts of his wings were bound in silk webs and Phil could see the missing feathers. Primaries, Phil realized a moment later.  Clint wouldn’t be able to fly.  His body was covered in bruises. He wore pants, but his chest was also bound in webbing.  Clint was looking away, hiding his face in the shadows.

"What did she do to you?" Phil growled, ready to go hunt the jorōgumo.

"What?" Clint asked, looking confused.  Phil blinked, taking in the hardened face and the nose that had lengthened, looking more beak-like.  He looked fiercer and more like a harpy out of legends.

"You're bound up in her webs."

"Yeah, I’ve got some broken bones.  Tasha’s webs are better than whatever it is humans use," Clint replied, pouting at him somehow with that beak.

Phil moved over to cup Clint’s cheek and tilt his head to look in Phil’s eyes.  ”Are you okay?”

"No, but I will be," Clint said.

"Will you fly again?"

"Yeah, just need to molt," Clint paused.  "Which is really unsexy."

"You can’t fly, you’re not going to be able to hide from me," Phil said, gently kissing Clint’s lips. When Phil pulled back, Clint was smiling at him.  "Not leaving you, even if you are an ugly harpy.  Speaking of..."

Clint ducked his head, but Phil caught the blush.  "Hurts too much to do a partial transformation. You don't mind?"

"Hardly, I'm fond of you, not whatever face you wear," Phil said, stroking Clint's jaw as he settled next to the other man. 

Clint moved, resettling so that he was as close as he could without distressing the webs.

"I just have one question, Clint," Phil said, slipping a hand in Clint’s hair, stroking it.

"Hmm?" Clint asked.

"Who did this to you?"

"Oh, you don’t have to worry about them," the jorōgumo said, appearing. Her smile was vicious and predatory.  Phil was almost afraid. "They’re all dead now."

"Good," Phil said.

"Buncha killers the both of you," Clint muttered, settling his weight against Phil.

"Because harpies aren’t killers," the Jorōgumo stated, smiling at Clint.

Clint flipped her off.  ”Oh hey, Tasha, this is Phil, Phil, this is Natasha. Don’t call her Nat or she’ll eat you.”

"Wouldn’t think of it," Phil said, looking up at Natasha.

"We’ll need to find a better place for him," Natasha said softly. "He won’t be happy underground for too long, but I know this place is safe and he can heal a bit here."

Phil smiled at that.  Yes, they did care for each other, but Natasha seemed willing to involve Phil.  ”I’ll see what I can find.  Someplace high.”

"Someplace defensible," Natasha added.

Phil nodded in agreement.  ”Yes.  I’ll bring you a couple of options.”

"That would be satisfactory."

"I’m right here," Clint grumbled.  "Don’t I get a say?"

"Not when you managed to run afoul of Rarógs," Natasha hissed.

"Point made," Clint said, sighing softly.

"Thank you," Phil mouthed at her, for taking care of Clint and protecting him.  Natasha’s smile was far sweeter than he would have expected.

*

"I like it," Clint said, glancing around the penthouse floor of the abandoned building.  "There's a basement, right?"

"Yes," Natasha said.  "But I doubt your vampire will sleep there often."

"I still have my clan," Phil agreed.  "But maybe some nights."

Clint turned to find them standing by the staircase.  He didn't want to admit just how good of a pair they made together.  He smiled at them anyway.  "I'd like that."

"I'm not surprised," Phil said, smiling at him.

"Can we get actual furniture this time though, Tasha?" Clint pleaded.

"So you can destroy it with your claws?" Natasha asked, because Clint was a full harpy. "Maybe when it doesn't kill you to turn human."

"It doesn't kill me!" Clint objected. When faced with dubious looks from both of them, he quietly added. "It just hurts a lot."

"You wouldn't have made it here, if I hadn't carried you," Phil pointed out.

"Well, they feel weird when they're not healed," Clint said, pouting at them.

"Well, if you're settled, I can reapply the bandages," Natasha said, moving away from the stairs.  "Then I must make sure you are safe."

"By webbing up the downstairs," Clint said, finding a place to sit.  He smiled as Phil came around and took Clint's hands.  "She always webs the place up."

"That way I know if someone has entered my space," Natasha replied, features becoming more spider-like as she started creating the webbing and wrapping it around Clint's wings.

"I think its a sign of how fond she is of you that she's taking care of you first and not her web," Phil stated, smiling at him.

"Nah, she's just fattening me up," Clint replied, casting a smile at Natasha for their old joke.  Her eyes glittered and Clint liked to think that it was because she amused and not just a trick of the light.

"Should I be concerned?" Phil asked.

"Old joke," Clint replied.  "She actually caught me in a web once, but she decided not to eat me."

"I was worried that 'Idiot' was catching," Natasha stated.

Phil smiled at him.  "Tell me about it."

"You really want to hear about it?"

"Yes," Phil said.

Clint smiled and launched into the story.

 

*

"I’m just tired of looking at the same old skyline," Clint said, spreading his still bandaged wings. Not nearly as bandaged as before, but there was still white webs that stood out against the black of Clint’s wings.  He still wasn’t up to flying, but the bruises had faded and his ribs were doing far better. 

"I don’t think it's a good idea," Phil said.  They were safer here.  Clint had the top floor and Phil took the basement to sleep in.  The ground floor was now filled with Natasha’s web.  
Clint sighed, wrapping one of his wings around him and grabbing the misting bottle to start spraying his wings. 

"Didn’t you just clean your wings?" Phil asked, because he swore Clint had and Phil was getting kind of worried about how often Clint was preening as Natasha called it.

Clint went very still behind his wing.  When he did speak, it was a low.  ”Well what else am I supposed to do, Phil?”

"Read?" Phil suggested, holding up a book.

"I’m tired of reading, I want to go out," Clint said, folding his wings around his back, before he stood and walked out of the room.

Phil sighed, staring after him.  He became aware of a slight shift in the room that he was learning to recognize as Natasha arriving.  ”What do you think we should do?”

"Probably we should let him go out, let his other friends see that he lives," Natasha said.  "I do not think they believe me."

"I thought you were his friend," Phil said.

"I am one of many, you’ve fallen for a…" Natasha’s head snapped in one direction, eyes widening, her face full of indignation and fury.  She scurried, losing the shape of human and becoming part spider.  Phil had seen it before, when Natasha needed to reapply bandages. This Natasha was on the warpath and if Natasha felt threatened, well, Phil wasn’t going to let her face any danger by herself.  Phil followed after her, leaping the rail, grateful that he’d gotten Natasha to leave her webs away from the inner circular staircase.  Phil had no way of knowing which way Natasha had gone, he headed for the nearest exit and planned to do a lap around the building.  

He didn’t have too go far, just around one corner. He saw a man that looked far too calm in the face of Natasha’s rage and it took Phil a while to realize that she was angry about the destruction of her web.  Well, Phil could understand that. It had taken Natasha a while to decorate her floor to her liking.

"Are you done now," the man said when Natasha had paused for breath.  "I’m here to see Clint."

"You could have asked."

"I could have, I chose not to," the man said.

"I should destroy you," Natasha said.

"Go ahead and try," the man replied.  "You’d be playing with fire, and your kind doesn’t like fire."

"I don’t mind fire," Phil moving to stand next to Natasha, because he heard the threat.

The man stared at Phil.  ”Ah, you’ve aligned yourself with a vampire.” The man sniffed.  ”One of Fury’s lot, if I’m not mistaken. Well, even vampires have their weaknesses.”

"And if you hurt him, you’ll go to war with Fury," Natasha replied.

"Dance magic, dance. Dance magic, dance,” suddenly came from the direction of the man.  
The man blinked.  ”Excuse me.”  He pulled out a phone.  ”Bruce! What’d you and Goliath find?… Excellent.”

"Bruce?" Phil mouthed to Natasha.

"Trickster!" Natasha growled, brushing past Phil to go back inside.

The man laughed, “Best watch out, the spider is angry.  I’ll be up in a few.”

"Who the hell are you?" Phil growled.

"You can call me Tony and I’ll be happy to speak to you further," Tony said, rolling his shoulders as giant leathery wings sprouted out from his back.  They pumped a few times, lifting the man into the air.  Phil turned, running inside, and back up the stairs to find that Clint’s space had been invaded by others.

Natasha was at the top of the steps glaring at them all, but Clint seemed happy as he moved about the kitchen, trying to play host, while a blond man was trying to guide him back to sit and a dark haired man was trying to get a closer look at Clint’s wings.

"Who the hell are these people?" Phil asked.

"Clint’s friends," Natasha said, watching them all. She indicated the two trailing after Clint. "Steve the Selkie, Bruce the Minotaur."  

"How’d they get up here?" Phil asked.

"The gargoyle Thor," Natasha said, pointing to an even larger blond that was standing next to Tony.  The room felt smaller than it had before; Phil wondered if it was because it was fuller or if it was just Tony. There was something unnerving about the man.

"Well, we were thinking of inviting them," Phil pointed out.

"I wouldn’t have invited Tony," Natasha said, shuddering softly. Phil blinked as he realized just how clear his run to the stairs had been, almost as if someone had sent a fireball through it. So Tony was a creature of fire, well, Phil was unafraid of him and all the others that had invaded Clint’s aerie. 

*

"Can I talk to you?" Phil asked, leaning near Jasper.  Most of the clan was busy with waking up, which left them free to talk briefly.  

"About?" Jasper said.

"Don't want to talk about it here," Phil admitted.

"Usual place, midnight?" Jasper asked.

Phil nodded, slipping past Jasper to go about his normal routine.  He'd told Clint and Natasha that he wasn't going to be around.  Clint had seemed kind of relieved, which had hurt, but Natasha had caught him to say that Clint was going to be molting and he should stay away while he could.  It had certainly explained Clint's irritableness earlier in the week.

The one good thing had been Clint's friends bringing him food.  Steve had stated that he'd done some research and had bought some food that was good for growing feathers.  Bruce had brought stuff that was good for growing bones.  Phil was privately glad that his own dietary requirements had made it so he didn't have to eat the stuff that was brought, but Clint had inhaled it.  Natasha had grudgingly admitted that maybe they ought to have spoken to Steve earlier.

Phil stepped into the diner a few minutes before midnight, unsurprised to find that Jasper was already waiting for him. 

"So," Phil said, taking a seat.  "So, does the name Tony mean anything to you?"

"Tony?" Jasper repeated, looking surprised.  "Not Stark?"

"Stark? The dragon?" Phil asked, because suddenly that pressure he'd felt when Tony had been in the room made sense. Dragons were huge and there was always that feeling of bulk that was there when dragons were around.

"Yeah," Jasper said.  "He's going by Tony now."

"He's changed his look," Phil realized, remembering Stark from before.

"Yeah, which is good, because he's the face of Stark Enterprises," Jasper said.  "Which is a huge company now."

"Fury never liked how his company was growing," Phil agreed.  "So Stark's the dragon, explains why how he recognized me as one of Fury's lot."  Phil paused, trying not to think too hard about the last time he'd been in the presence of Stark.  "What's our status with Stark?"

"Uneasy truce," Jasper replied. "Which is part of the reason that Fury had you check up on the harpy.  He's been hanging around with Stark, plus he needed to see if you'd recovered fully."

Phil huffed.  "I've been spying on the other clans I've been staying with for months now.  I've been healed up just fine."

"I think he's worried, I mean, you were nearly staked, if rumor holds true," Jasper pointed out.

"An irate, irrational dragon happened to knock me off my feet and onto a rather big splinter," Phil said, resisting the urge to run his hand over the scar.

Jasper blinked.  "Stark?"

Phil nodded.

"Stark is responsible for your injuries?"

"He also removed Fury's eye," Phil commented and watched as Jasper's eyes grew even rounder.  "I wouldn't underestimate that dragon."

"But…" Jasper started, before pausing to look at Phil. "This has to do with their falling out."

"Yeah, Stark and Fury had a third friend, some sort of water creature - I can't even remember what he was, maybe a merman or siren or selkie.  Not that it matters, they were a water creature who was beneficial during one of the human wars. They could keep an eye on Stark's ships and warn them if there were any enemy vessels in the area. Since Stark and Fury were far more friendlier during that time, the friend had also worked for Fury. There had been a shipment that Fury had arranged and their water creature friend went on protection duty, but something happened and the water friend died."

"So Stark blamed Fury for his death?" Jasper asked.

"No, Stark insisted that their water friend was still alive and Fury was holding him hostage somewhere until it ended in blows.  Fury killed one of Stark's people, I almost got killed, Stark incinerated Fury's eye with one well placed blast."

"And Stark went off to California as soon as the war was over and didn't come back until recently, except on company matters," Jasper stated, considering it all.  "Its almost seemed like Stark was trying to rebuild some bridges."

"I'm sure that's going over well with Fury," Phil commented.

"I think he's trying to figure out what Stark's game is," Jasper admitted.  "I'm surprised you don't know all the details."

"Fury had just turned me, I was still new to the vampire game," Phil explained.  "We'd been friends before I was turned, but I wasn't aware of the vampire dealings."

Jasper nodded, falling silent for a long moment.  "So I take it you ran into Stark while watching the harpy?"

"They're friends," Phil agreed.  "But, I don't think he'd get involved in a war between Stark and Nick though."

"Why not?" Jasper asked.

"He doesn't seem to have any problems talking to me," Phil admitted.

Jasper arched an eyebrow, staring at him.  His eyes went wide.  "You slept with the harpy?!"

"Actually, I think I'm in a relationship with the harpy," Phil said.

"How?" Jasper asked.

"He hit on me, we started having sex, feelings happened," Phil said.  "Now, I'm ready and willing to kill those that dared hurt him, except I was a bit too late for that."

"Too late?"

"His friend got to them first," Phil replied, shrugging.

"So…" Jasper started, clearly still trying to wrap his head around Phil and Clint.

Phil just smiled and waited for Jasper's question.

"Are you… happy?" Jasper asked.

Phil nodded.

"Does Fury know?"

"No, because I'm not sure why he wanted me keeping an eye on him, and…"

"You've become overly fond of him."

Phil hummed in agreement.  

"Are you going to tell Fury?"

"Eventually." Phil really wanted to make sure that Clint was healed before he let Nick know.

Jasper nodded and Phil was fairly sure that he'd read between the lines to realize that Clint had been injured, but Jasper was a friend.  He'd often been the one that would come to visit while Fury had business to attend during Phil's convalescence.  Well, Jasper and Maria had visited, but Maria was Nick's second.

They talked for a bit, before they split up.  Phil did want to go back to Clint's and he almost hated how attached he'd gotten to the harpy and Natasha.  They both made his nights that much better. He was even enjoying when Clint's other friends would stop by.  Phil paused as he realized that he actually enjoyed them more than his own clan. Perhaps because there was so many power grabs going on behind the scenes as each vampire jockeyed for position within the clan. Though no one dared to try to remove Fury from power. 

Phil realized his loyalties were divided and that if he had to chose, he'd choose Clint.  He didn't want to lose either of them, because Nick was an old friend, but if he had to choose, he'd choose Clint easily.

The sudden impact sent Phil sprawling.  He shook his head, trying to clear it as he felt someone land on his back.

*

Clint flapped his wings, trying to get the last of the molted feathers out.  There was a light breeze and he could hear some of the sounds from the city.  He frowned as he tried to make out some of the sounds, because it sounded like a fight.  He tilted his head to look down at the sound of his friends, and there it was.  He let the transformation slip back, feeling his features harden as he turned fully into the harpy.  His eyesight sharpened and he realized just who was being attacked.

He didn't hesitate, leaping from the roof, flapping his wings to make a certain height.  Then he turned and dove.  There was just enough room for him to snap his wings open, so that he didn't hurt himself as he slammed into Phil's opponent.  He used that momentum to gain height.  He kept his eyes on the fight, fully prepared to swoop in again, but Phil had found his feet again.

Phil didn't need him, he was fierce and amazing.  Clint could feel his blood surge at the way his lover moved, avoiding strikes and hitting hard.  Clint growled at he realized that Phil was fighting another vampire.  Clint caught enough to realize that he'd seen this vampire with Fury before.  Phil managed to knock the other vampire down, words were exchanged, before Phil turned to complete his journey.

The other vampire said something, but Phil didn't hesitate as he walked away.  Clint saw the other vampire get up and grab a jagged piece of wood.  The vampire took a few steps toward, ready to drive the makeshift into Phil's unprotected back.  Clint cried out, in warning and in anger, as he dove again.  He knocked the vampire down when he impacted against him, before quickly rising up.  He turned to keep the vampire in his sights as he landed.  He grabbed the piece of wood, while the other vampire was still reeling from Clint's blow. Clint rammed the wood through his heart and ended the threat to Phil.

"Clint," Phil said, after a few minutes.  "You shouldn't have done that."

"Why not?" Clint asked, turning to look at him.  "He was going to kill you."

"Because Fury's going to know someone killed him and the clan will be here," Phil stated.  "He's going to want you dead."

"You would have killed the rarógs," Clint pointed out.  "He was going to kill you."

"Clint, that's different, there's clan politics involved and then there's the politics that involve other species," Phil said, going over to him.  "Stark and Fury are rivals.  Fury's going to think you did this because of Stark."

"He was going to kill you, Phil," Clint said, grabbing a hold of Phil's shirt and hauling him closer.  "I wasn't about to let that happen."

"Idiot," Phil growled, before leaning in to kiss Clint.

"Your idiot," Clint murmured against Phil's lips.  Phil reached up to cup Clint's cheek and Clint leaned into that hand.

"You should probably go to Stark; you'll be safer.  I'll talk to Nick, maybe try to explain things and keep him calm," Phil said, thinking.

"If I go to Stark now, then there's no way that Fury will believe that this wasn't without Tony's blessing," Clint argued.

"Coulson," the voice was soft.  "What happened?"

Phil pulled back and stepped back, smiling at the newcomer.  "Jasper, apparently our meeting was not as secret as we thought."

"Blake tried to kill your harpy?" the other vampire, Jasper apparently, asked.

"No, he tried to kill Phil," Clint said.

Jasper looked between them, before sighing, "This is going to be very bad."

"I'm sure," Phil agreed.  "But someone won't leave."

"One of them just tried to kill you, I don't trust them," Clint said.  

Jasper nodded in understanding.  "Clan is on its way, you know Fury likes to swarm where one of us dies, so that he can catch who did it."

"I know," Phil said. "There's not much we can do now."

"Get some air, harpy," Jasper ordered. "Watch from up high."

Clint glanced at Phil, who nodded his agreement.

"At least get our building at your backs," Clint said.  "They can't go through Tasha's webs."

"Good idea," Phil agreed.  Jasper and Phil took off for Clint and Natasha's building as Clint took to the air.

They had just enough time to make it there.  Phil and Jasper exchanged a few words though Clint couldn't make out the words again.  Still, it looked like Jasper was going to stand with Phil, which was good, because there were far more vampires appearing than Clint expected.  He recognized a few of them.  The sight of Fury in his black trenchcoat made Clint wanted to run, but Phil was there and he wasn't going to leave him there.  He forced himself to land a few stories up, so that he could make out what they were saying.

"Phil," Fury said.

"Nick," Phil said, perfectly calm.

"Blake's dead," Fury stated. "Want to tell me what happened?"

"He attacked me," Phil explained.  "I was willing to let him go, but he wasn't willing to stop."

"You didn't kill him though."

"No," Phil agreed.  "Clint killed him, because he was trying to kill me."

"Clint?" Fury asked.

"Me." Clint growled from his perch.

"The harpy," Fury said, glaring up at him.  He turned his attention back to Phil.  "I thought I told you to watch him."

"I did watch him," Phil said.  "I didn't see anything suspicious."

"So you decided to become friends with him?!" Fury asked.

"Oh, they're a lot more than friends, as my ears can attest," Natasha stated, sliding out of the shadows of the building.

"Romanov," Fury said.  "What are you doing here?"

"Fury," Natasha said, smile sharp.  "As for what I'm doing here, your child is trusting me to watch his back against the rest of his own clan."  She paused.  "No, Clint is trusting me to watch their backs."

"Are you telling me that you've actually made friends?" Fury asked.

"I suppose, it happens," Natasha sighed.  "The point is, I'm still not interested in your feud with Stark. Nicholas, I like you a lot more than that fire breather.  I would hate for that to change."

"You expect me to let this go?" Fury asked.

"I expect you to believe Clint and Phil's story about what happened," Natasha said.  "Which I suspect you do, the only reason that you're upset is it was Clint's hand and not Phil's."

"You can't let this happen, sir," the vampire with the red streaks in her hair objected, stepping forward.  "That flying caveman killed Blake!"

"And Blake was trying to kill Phil," Jasper stated.  "I believe Phil about that."

"Clint was only trying to protect me," Phil agreed. He looked up at Clint and smiled.  "His mate."

Clint beamed down at him. "Mine."

"The hell?" Fury asked, looking between the two of them.  "The harpy, Phil? I thought there was a girl."

"Skye? No. Nick, I turned her, that's like… incest for vampires," Phil said, shaking his head.

Clint couldn't help it, but he dropped down, turning his wings to slow his descent.  He landed just behind Phil and wrapped an arm around him.  He felt Phil relax into him slightly.  Natasha was there and he was fairly sure they could make it into the web quickly enough.  "I wasn't about to let someone hurt Phil."

"Sir!" the one with red streaks objected again.  "Blake…"

"Blake shouldn't have attacked Coulson," Fury snapped.  "Did you know about this, Sitwell?"

"Coulson informed me tonight, he said he'd be telling you. He alluded to the harpy being injured, so I thought he'd tell you once he was healed," Jasper answered.

"Oh, Clint's been injured, and then he molted. I think this is the first flight he's had in months," Natasha said.  "I have all sorts of feather fluff stuck in my web."

"It's the first time I've seen him fly in a few weeks," Phil added.

Fury regarded the four of them, before settling his gaze on Phil.  "Are you planning on breaking away and forming your own clan?"

"No," Phil said.  "But if you make me choose between our clan and Clint, I will choose Clint.  And Natasha if I can talk her into it.  Our doors will be open to any vampire that doesn't wish to be a part of your clan anymore."  Phil hesitated, before swallowing. "I'd rather you didn't make me choose, Marcus."

"Marcus?" Clint questioned.

"Are they allies with Stark?" Fury questioned.

"I'm friends with Stark and I'd rather you two didn't go to war," Clint said.

Phil nodded in agreement.  "I wouldn't call them allies."

"Fine, I'll let this slide, but…" Fury trailed off, fixing Clint with a hard look.  "You better treat him right."

"But sir!"

"Hand, let it go," Fury ordered.  "If you attack any of them, you'll deal with consequences on your own."

"What's that mean?" Hand asked.

"It means we can kill you, if you attack us," Natasha answered, smiling. 

Hand regarded her, before turning around and melting back into the shadows with her brethren.  Clint had a feeling it wasn't over, but they were alive for now.

*

Phil trudged up the stairs, spotting the bits of sunlight streaming through the cracks.  The sun was setting.  Tonight, he needed to attend another negotiation for Stark and Fury; try to soothe old wounds.  Pepper Potts had pulled him aside the other day to explain that Fury's and Stark's  mutual friend was alive.  The selkie Steve had been frozen by a frost creature out of Norse mythology.  Stark could sense he was alive, but because Steve was in water, he couldn't get to him or get a good reading on where he was.  They had eventually found him and were surprised to discover that Steve was alive when they had.  

They'd come back here to help Steve adapt and because of Potts and Rhodes' encouragement, Stark had started to try to apologize for the argument.  The bad blood was always going to be there, a sore spot, because of Fury's lost eye and Phil's injuries.  They were working on it though and while they might never be partners again, it would be easier to be friends with both of them and not have to choose a side.

That was later in the night though.  Now, now Phil wanted to watch the last of the sunlight leave Clint's skin and kiss him while he was still sun-warmed. Those dark feathers of his held the heat in remarkably well.  

Phil made it to his spot.  Most of the shades were drawn inside, except for the one specially treated window that allowed Phil to see outside, but didn't allow the dangerous UV light in.  He'd been surprised when he noticed it, but Natasha had apparently requested it.  She had smugly noted that he often awoke as the sun was setting and that he might enjoy the view.  The smugness suggested that she certainly had.  Natasha was entirely right about the view.  Clint stood in profile, watching as the sun slipped beyond the horizon, highlighting Clint's features, his chest, and his wings. Phil had a feeling that Clint knew he was there, because Clint shifted, showing off his body.  It was incredible.

The moment it was safe for him to step outside, Phil went straight for Clint. Clint pulled him in and kissed him. Wings wrapped around Phil, trapping him against Clint's sun-warmed skin, but Phil didn't care.  He was happy right where he was.


End file.
